Boats For Sale:
Normal Engine Temps |
Post Reply 
|
| Author | |
rbbordner 
Groupie 
Joined: January-05-2012 Location: Chelan, WA Status: Offline Points: 75 |
 Post Options
 Thanks(0)
 Quote Reply
 Topic: Normal Engine TempsPosted: July-09-2019 at 3:07am |
|
I've got a 1993 Ski Nautique with Ford 351.
Lately I've been paying close attention to the engine temps during normal operation. I've been led to believe normal is between 160 and 180. It can run hot (over 180) at the end of a set, on restart and i think at lower speeds sometimes. What's normal and when should I be concerned with temperature and the effectiveness of the raw water pump? Thanks. rb |
|
|
RB
1993 Ski Nautique |
|
 |
|
|
MrMcD
Grand Poobah 
Joined: January-28-2014 Location: Folsom, CA Status: Offline Points: 3590 |
Post Options
Thanks(1)
Quote Reply
Posted: July-09-2019 at 6:08am |
|
The Fuel Injected engines have 160 degree thermostats, the carbureted engines run a 143 degree thermostat.
If your gauge is accurate it sounds like it is time to inspect your cooling system. They normally run right on the thermostat opening, the only time you see them heat up is maybe after a hard barefoot run and then you shut off while picking up your skier. You will have a little heat soak while sitting, engine off. When you restart you may see 180 for a very short time when you restart the engine, maybe 15 seconds until it cools down. There are very good posts on this forum to show you what to check. Everything I said assumes you have an open cooling system and not a closed system. Most start with the Raw Water Pump impeller, they should be changed out as a matter of maintenance, I have had these fail after 3 years of use twice so I change them at 2 years of use, they are less than $35, keep a spare in your boat. The system has to be tight, the RWP needs to vacuum water from the lake into the engine, if you have an air leak on the vacuum line it really hurts performance. The intake line is everything between the bottom of the boat intake and your Raw Water pump. After the RWP your system is pressure fed its water. You can also have a bad thermostat cause issues like you state. First I would get a IR Temperature gun and shoot your engine real time while it is hot on the water and find out if the IR gun matches what your Temp gauge is telling you. Could just be a gauge issue. |
|
|
|
|
desertskier
Platinum Member 
Joined: December-19-2006 Location: Az Status: Offline Points: 1114 |
Post Options
Thanks(0)
Quote Reply
Posted: July-09-2019 at 1:27pm |
Mine has always acted like yours. I would still verify that you don't have a problem but I wouldn't get too worried about it. |
|
|
|
|
Hollywood
Moderator Group
Joined: February-04-2004 Location: Twin Lakes, WI Status: Offline Points: 13510 |
Post Options
Thanks(0)
Quote Reply
Posted: July-09-2019 at 1:43pm |
|
Those temps aren’t concerning. How old is your impeller?
|
|
|
|
|
flyweed
Gold Member
Joined: July-11-2016 Location: WI Status: Offline Points: 539 |
Post Options
Thanks(0)
Quote Reply
Posted: July-09-2019 at 2:22pm |
|
My 93 SN...is carberated (351W) and my temps run around 130F all day long, unless I am pulling multiple skiers, or running around the lake at WOT..then I'll see temps around 138f.
|
|
|
'93 Ski Nautique NWZ, Air Boom Tower
Drink Tonight..for tomorrow We Ride! |
|
|
|
|
bb12
Senior Member 
Joined: March-24-2009 Location: Kansas, USA Status: Offline Points: 355 |
Post Options
Thanks(0)
Quote Reply
Posted: July-09-2019 at 2:28pm |
Do you have a thermostat in there? 
|
|
|
1989 Ski Nautique 2001
|
|
|
|
|
rbbordner
Groupie
Joined: January-05-2012 Location: Chelan, WA Status: Offline Points: 75 |
Post Options
Thanks(0)
Quote Reply
Posted: July-09-2019 at 2:29pm |
|
Thanks everyone.
Ski this morning, temps ran 155-175. After a set they would climb and we let it idle at higher RMP than normal and the temp came right down to 160. Impellar was new last year. I noticed a small drip from the hose going into the RWP and will tighten that up for the next run. Also need a new o-ring for the strainer basket. Other than that, i'll just keep an eye on it and maybe grab an IR gun to check accuracy of the thermostat. Thanks again. |
|
|
RB
1993 Ski Nautique |
|
|
|
|
flyweed
Gold Member
Joined: July-11-2016 Location: WI Status: Offline Points: 539 |
Post Options
Thanks(0)
Quote Reply
Posted: July-09-2019 at 2:38pm |
|
Yep.....there sure is. My engine has always run cool since I've owned it. I guess there are two different thermostats that were used in these as well. I figured mine was the lower temp thermostat.
|
|
|
'93 Ski Nautique NWZ, Air Boom Tower
Drink Tonight..for tomorrow We Ride! |
|
|
|
|
MrMcD
Grand Poobah
Joined: January-28-2014 Location: Folsom, CA Status: Offline Points: 3590 |
Post Options
Thanks(0)
Quote Reply
Posted: July-09-2019 at 3:14pm |
|
I have owned 3 tournament boats in the last 35 years. The only time I see temps rise over the Thermostat opening temp is when there is a problem. The rest of the time it stays dead on the thermostat temp but your system has to be tight on the vacuum side to do it.
78 Nautique 1,500 hours total use 87 Malibu 770 hours total use 95 Nautique only 75 hours in my ownership so far, purchased in 2014 with 100 hours on it. |
|
|
|
|
Hollywood
Moderator Group
Joined: February-04-2004 Location: Twin Lakes, WI Status: Offline Points: 13510 |
Post Options
Thanks(0)
Quote Reply
Posted: July-09-2019 at 6:08pm |
|
And how many of you have verified your temp gauges....
|
|
|
|
|
8122pbrainard
Grand Poobah
Joined: September-14-2006 Location: Three Lakes Wi. Status: Offline Points: 41040 |
Post Options
Thanks(0)
Quote Reply
Posted: July-09-2019 at 6:15pm |
I have. |
|
|
|
|
flyweed
Gold Member
Joined: July-11-2016 Location: WI Status: Offline Points: 539 |
Post Options
Thanks(0)
Quote Reply
Posted: July-09-2019 at 7:57pm |
|
Verified how? Infrared heat gun? NO......but...my Nautique shop (Ryden Marine) that does all my boat work hooked up the sender to their shop test gauges, and it tested the same as my dash gauge reads within a degree or two.
|
|
|
'93 Ski Nautique NWZ, Air Boom Tower
Drink Tonight..for tomorrow We Ride! |
|
|
|
|
MrMcD
Grand Poobah
Joined: January-28-2014 Location: Folsom, CA Status: Offline Points: 3590 |
Post Options
Thanks(0)
Quote Reply
Posted: July-09-2019 at 11:24pm |
|
I have a nice Fluke IR gun and it tells me the gauge is within a couple degrees of what it reads. Close enough for government work.
I'll stick with temps vary in these Raw Water Pump cooled engines only when a problem exists. Fix the issue and temps are steady right at your set thermostat temp, You may see 3-5 degree variance if all is good but other than that if it varies look for a intake water problem or it is time to change the impeller. A 20 degree variance as reported is not anywhere near normal. A good performing system has way too much cool water to tap into, you should never have a hot engine. Some on this forum run engines that have 100 or more Horsepower than stock and I bet they will tell you the temp does not change if all is working properly and those engines making 100 more horsepower create more heat. Mark |
|
|
|
|
Post Reply
|
|
Tweet
|
| Forum Jump | Forum Permissions You cannot post new topics in this forum You cannot reply to topics in this forum You cannot delete your posts in this forum You cannot edit your posts in this forum You cannot create polls in this forum You cannot vote in polls in this forum |
Topic Options
rbbordner wrote: